In a gripping 9th-12th place classification match at the Junior Women's Hockey World Cup in Santiago, Chile, India staged a remarkable comeback to defeat South Korea 3-1.
Ropni Kumari (23rd minute), Mumtaz Khan (44th) and Annu (46th) showcased their scoring prowess for India, while Jiyun Choi (19th) found the net for Korea on Thursday.
Despite Korea's initial dominance in possession and securing the first penalty corner in the opening quarter, they failed to capitalize on the opportunity. India, employing a strategy of counter-attacks, kept Korea's defense busy but couldn't convert their promising entries into goals, resulting in a goal-less deadlock after the first quarter.
The second quarter mirrored the intensity of the first, with both teams persisting in their attacking plays. Choi broke the deadlock with a precise penalty corner strike, but India quickly responded as Ropni equalized from another penalty corner.
In the third quarter, India took control of the proceedings, dominating possession and pressuring Korea's defence. This strategy paid off when Mumtaz brilliantly scored from a penalty corner, giving India the lead. The penultimate quarter ended 2-1 in favour of India.
Entering the fourth quarter with a one-goal advantage, India intensified their attacks. Annu extended their lead with a superb field goal, securing a two-goal advantage. India continued to unsettle Korea's defence, maintaining their momentum and denying any chance of a comeback.
The victory ensures that India, having earlier bowed out of title contention after finishing third in Pool C, now stand a chance to finish ninth in the tournament. Their last match on Saturday will be against either Chile or the USA.
(With PTI inputs)
